Some good clocks recently sold and away to new homes, some awaiting delivery and setting up ( one awaiting completion of a house renovation, another, a birthday date ) some very interesting clocks acquired and a new camera to try out.

Among the VERY interesting clocks acquired subsequent to the previous blog are …….

Thomas Udall of London with a 14″ breakarch brass dial, MOONPHASES to arch, typical “London” high quality, mahogany, pagoda top case with Corinthian capitals to hood columns with matching trunk quarter columns.Typical panelled two step base, the lower shaped. Silky smooth winding and very well executed, high quality, 5 pillar, 8 day movement.

Interesting to note that Thomas Udall ( Clockmakers Company of London 1789 – 1814 ) was working in Shoe Lane London – a very prestigous clockmaking area at that time.

Now fully restored, tested, calibrated and ready to photograph.
For further details please see In Restoration section of website.

In restoration.

Spencer & Perkins of London ( highly regarded makers ) with 12″ breakarch brass “dartboard” dial,MOONPHASES to arch and high quality typically “London” flame mahogany, pagoda top case + large spire/ball brass finials.Superb quality throughout – as would be expected from this maker.Circa 1785.
Interestingly, the dial is signed Spencer Y Perkins, London, the clock being made, originally, for the luxury export market – in this case, Portugal.High quality, 5 pillar, 8 day movement with pull hour repeat.
For further details please see In Restoration section of website.
In restoration.

Following my unsuccessful appeal for supplies of ( now obsolete ) Microtime heavy, synthetic clock oil I have managed to acquire a supply of the “pen oiler” type of specialist clock oil to give away with the clocks I sell, though if I can get my hands on odd bottles of Microtime H ( heavy ) I’d be very grateful – even small quantities.

Isaac Hadwen of Liverpool is an interesting maker and I’ve said “YES” to a fine, brass dial, mahogany, MOONPHASE, example of his work which has a beautifully hand written note by Isaac pasted to the inside of the trunk door the flowing “copper plate” detailing setting and adjustment procedure. Typical North Western “broken breakarch” top popular immediately prior to, and then complimentary with, the swan neck pediment, the style seen occasionally elsewhere ( even London ) but predominantly North Western.

This will be Isaac Hadwen junior ( born 1723 died 1767 – though his widow carried on the business until 1777 ) as it’s circa 1765 – too late for Isaac senior who died in 1737 and too early for Isaac III who took over the business in 1777.
This clock is currently abroad and may take a while to get to me as economies of scale dictate that a batch consignment is better value, so it’s number one awaiting a minimum of 7 more.

Some good clocks sold and some good clocks bought since the previous blog.
Particularly interesting is a small, pretty, typically “Jersey”, long door, mahogany, 8 day, moonphase longcase by Peter Poignand of Jersey.

The other sticker is “hidden” at the top left hand side of the trunk, is printed in blue and reads –

Member of B.A.D.A.
William C. Fox
Antiques
41, New St. Jersey
Central 24436.

Nice to have the EXACT date is was made ( or sold ) which ties in with the dialmaker, Wilson of Birmingham who was working 1780 – 1808 at 11, Great Charles Street, Birmingham.

A bonny wee thing which I hope goes home to Jersey ( free delivery and setting up, as always – of course ! ).

Another recent addition, again with a good Wilson painted dial + moonphases and fine, long door, mahogany case is the William Cox of Devizes which I collected from Ouistreham, Northern France last Friday ( 21st March ). Bought complete, working and just needing the usual restoration.It’s in the queue – which seems to get longer and longer.

This one is unusual inasmuch that it has a very “quirky” top which defies standard description but seems to be a regional characteristic for the area as I’ve seen it before. It may well be unique to a particular case maker. William Cox is known in Devizes until 1793 some time after which he emigrated to Australia to seek his fortune.

The Robert Welsh of Dalkeith ( outskirts of Edinburgh ) has one of those very early Osborne painted dials where the date is shown through a square window above the 6 o’clock position using a silvered brass ring behind the dial as used on the ( earlier ) brass dial examples.

Typical slender, long door, mahogany case with swan neck pediment typical of the Edinburgh catchment area. Coincidentally I have a good brass dial example by the same maker ( please see LCMAH 311 ). He is recorded “married 30th January 1763” and “died before 1819.”

Good, walnut brass dial clocks with moonphases are always difficult to find especially if they have unusual features.

The John Calver of Woodbridge ( the Suffolk Woodbridge ) recently acquired, is one such, having the age of the moon displayed through a “banana slot” in the upper section of the subsidiary seconds dial. I’ve certainly never had one, displaying this feature, in over 25 years and cannot recall even seeing one in a book. The 5 pillar movement is especially well executed and the whole clock especially well looked after.

I was pleased to get the small, twin fusee mantel clock by James Gowland of 52, London Wall ( serial numbered no. 68 ) that I mentioned in the previous blog. The “Egyptian” style case with delicate “Egyptianesque” details to the half columns particularly well done and the Faster/Slower fine adjustment to the pendulum length via a sector at the top of the engine turned dial a good indicator of quality.

For further more detailed description please see previous blog.

Being past retirement age I’ll be selling some of my personal clocks soon so watch this space for some rare, interesting and unusual examples…….

As I reflect on 2013 I feel it was a good year with many fine clocks going to new homes and a steady ( ish ) trickle of interesting clocks coming in with a further 7 longcases due in ( repatriated from abroad ) on January 22nd.
They are….

The othe possibility is a very interesting “Egyptian” style black slate mantel clock signed James Gowland, 52, London Wall ( serial number 68 ).

The black slate case is of the “Egyptian” taste popular at the time.It was made early in James Gowland’s career ( he is recorded working 1832 – circa 1890 ) this example ( going by the serial number and styling ) seemingly circa 1832.
The case of flat top, tapering form is a mere 10.8″ ( 27.5cms. ) tall with very finely picked out Egyptian themed decoration to the two half pillars flanking the dial.

N.B. James Gowland of 52, London Wall ( London ) is especially well known and respected for his production of high precision marine chronometers, taking out a patent in 1837 ( number 7456 ) for an improvement he devised. He is recorded “Maker to the Admiralty”.

Known to have exhibited a clock with “improved compensation pendulum” in the Great Exhibition of 1851.

Two good clocks sold since the previous blog and two more in – coincidentally the newcomers are both Adam & Eve automata and both Bristol made.
Just like buses…….you wait and wait…….
They are –
Matthew Worgan, Bristol.Long door, typically “Bristol,” late 18C, flame mahogany case with swan neck pediment.12″ break arch brass dial with Adam & Eve automata to arch, two arms moving plus snake moving around the tree of life via a bevel gear drive. High quality, 3 train, 8 day movement with options of Hymn or March via pin barrel.

Several more clocks are now fully restored, tested, calibrated, photographed and are ready to be loaded onto the website.

They are :
John Dwerrihouse of Berkley Square, London. Very fine maker. Typical London, high quality, flame mahogany late 18C case with pagoda top.

Richard Daking of Halstead, Essex. Very similar to LCMAH 345 – Gatward of Uxbridge but with satinwood fan inlay “extras” to the case and passing half hour strike as well as the hour strike. Conventional date box rather than the centre sweep of the Gatward.

The holiday season seems to be pretty much over and business is settling back down to normal with 3 good longcases away to new homes since the previous blog but, worryingly, very little of interest or quality available to buy, despite my far flung global net – the recently examined examples all lacking in quality, originality, condition or proportion.

Sometimes all 3 in the one clock !

As a clockaholic I’m suffering withdraw symptoms – having not seen anything exciting for sale in months but just like buses…….

The 360 section of the website appears to have gone down well, so a few more, smaller, clocks will be added shortly.
I’m still desperate for some ( discontinued ) small bottles of microtome H ( heavy ) synthetic clock oil which I give away with each clock I sell as I’m down to my last few – so if anyone has any for sale I’d love to know about it.There must be some available somewhere.

I’m expecting several clocks back from restoration shortly and when I’m up to about 6 ( give or take ) I’ll be setting up the photo gear and updating the website though it is as well to remember that any clock featured in the “In Restoration” section can be prioritised on request and brought to the front of the queue.

My personal collection of lantern clocks will be thinned out shortly with examples by Joseph Windmills of London ( 2 examples – 1 original verge, 1 very early beautifully executed anchor conversion ), Holloway of Stroud ( centre swinging verge ), Webb of Ubley, Thomas Brown of Honiton, Jonathan Lowndes of Pall ( London – original verge, miniature ), Denton of Oxford, Robert Robinson of London ( original centre swinging verge ), John Aylward of Brentford verge, Honeybone of Wanborough ( miniature – anchor. ), plus some more which, as they haven’t seen the light of day for many years, are difficult to remember.

It’s been a slow few weeks for getting completed restoration work back, due mostly to holiday commitments of the various specialist restorers I use and the big backlogs of work that all GOOD restorers seem to “suffer” from, but gradually things are getting back to normal and work is being completed – the criteria being highest possible quality, not speed.
For movement restoration there follows a period of testing and calibration so even though the work has been executed to the highest possible standards and is working fine, I still can’t get my ( impatient ) hands on it.

Buying opportunities have been few and far between with plenty of clocks available but very, very few having that little bit extra in terms of quality, originality and condition.

When I explain to people that I buy less than 1 clock in 200 clocks available to me they think I’m joking until I explain that I cast a worldwide net and even so tend towards “picky” – rejecting clocks which I subsequently see offered at seemingly “bargain” prices later.

I’m promised a very good, early, month going movement by Abraham Cressner of Red Lyon Square ( London ) back from restoration next week, the 11″ square dial pointing to it being one of his earlier examples ( he’s recorded circa 1700 to circa 1710 ).The case is already restored.

This’ll be one to enjoy for a while before being offered for sale.

I’m desperate for a supply of Microtime H ( heavy ) synthetic clock oil in small bottles approximately 2 3/8th” ( 6 cms. ) tall by 5/8th” ( 1.7 cms. ) in diameter which I give away with every clock I sell.

The oil was produced by British Industrial Products of Potters Bar and I bought 100 small bottles from them before they closed down, thinking that It’d be sufficient for years to come.

I’m down to my last 9 wee bottles so things are looking pretty grim.

If anybody has a stock I’d be VERY keen to get my hands on WHATEVER is available. Even a few would be helpful.
Paradoxically, the beeswax polish which I also give away with every clock is no longer allowed to be sent ( airfreight ) with the clock because of it’s volatile turpentine component.

Of course it’s still freely available and I have stacks of it – which I’ll probably never ( now ) get through in my lifetime!

As many of you will know I collect early lantern clocks.

I recently bought two J. Windmills of London examples – one with original verge escapement and one with an extremely early ( and superb quality ) conversion to anchor.

They’re both of his slightly “later” production i.e. VERY early 18C rather than his late 17C, St.Martins Le Grand or Tower Street examples, with the converted one slightly earlier than the original verge escapement one.

I shall be looking to sell or p/ex the one with the early anchor conversion when it comes back from restoration.
I’ll also be “thinning out” my lantern clock collection with anything “late” or with a converted escapement becoming available for sale or p/ex.